


What Is and What Should Never Be

by sleepyfaceandsnark (teamwinchesterbros)



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: AU, Alternate Reality, Au-gust, Gallavich, M/M, Supernatural Creatures, shameless supernatural fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-24
Updated: 2014-09-01
Packaged: 2018-02-14 12:01:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2191041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teamwinchesterbros/pseuds/sleepyfaceandsnark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Djinns have taken over the Southside"</p><p>Could Mickey's best dream be actually slowly killing him?</p><p>Mickey get's attacked by a Djinn (Genie like creature that sends the victim into a fantasy world) after a fight with Ian. </p><p>*not necessary to know/watch Supernatural to understand the story*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Evil Genie Bullshit

**Author's Note:**

> NOT REALLY A CROSSOVER.  
> It's mostly gallavich. Sam and Dean only have 2 or 3 lines. 
> 
> MORE ABOUT DJINNS (from super-wiki): They feed on human blood and can poison their victims with a touch. Their poison causes reality-altering hallucinations and can be used either to kill their victims quickly, or to leave victims in a coma-like state while the djinn feeds on their blood over a long period of time.  
> Djinn are best classified as genies and are able to read a person's mind to learn their deepest desires; however, the djinn do not truly grant wishes like the genies of lore. Instead, they send their victims into a fantasy universe where they believe their wish has been granted while the djinn can drink their blood slowly over the course of days. Time passes slowly enough in the fantasy universe that the djinn's victims will feel as if they're living an entire lifetime before their physical bodies die.

 

 

“Yeah well fuck you!” Mickey saunters off to the door.

“Mickey where are you going?” Ian asks following him.

“Out!” Mickey yells back.

“You can’t.”

“Oh yeah why’s that?” Mickey looks at Ian, waiting.

Ian stares Mickey down.

“What you’re gonna give me some bullshit about evil genies taking over the southside to keep me here?”

“Djinns.”

“Djinns? Right cause that sounds more realistic.” Mickey says bitterly.

“Mickey…please.”

“Take your fucking medication Ian. Your hallucinations are getting even more fucked up.” Mickey turns away from Ian again.

“Fuck you!” Ian yells.

 Mickey barely ducks out of the way in time of a glass being throw at his head.

“Nice shot.” Mickey says sarcastically.  “Almost hit me this time.”

“Yeah next time I’ll aim lower.” Ian says as Mickey slams the door.

Mickey leaves. He wanders around, not really figuring on going anywhere, unaware of the hooded creature following closely behind him. The creature stalks him late in the night and licks its lips when Mickey comes stumbling out of his last bar.

 

Mickey wakes up the next morning. The sun shining brightly through the window, hitting his face causing him to wake up. He rubs his eyes and slowly opens them. He looks around. He’s lying on a large queen size bed, its sheets clean and soft. His eyes move around the large almost lavish room, with high ceilings and a large closet to Mickey’s left. To his right was a connecting bathroom. _Is that fucking granite counters?_

He sees a figure approaching the door to the bathroom and Mickey quickly flops back down on the bed.

“Hey you’re up,” a familiar voice says.

Mickey looks at the figure. “Ian?”

“Yeah. Ha why who else would it be?”

Mickey shakes his head and gets out of bed. He runs his hand down his face. “Where the fuck are we?”

“Uhh. Home.”

Mickey rolls his eyes. “Great. So we’re hiding out in some rich dude’s house.”

 Ian laughs at Mickey, thinking he’s trying to be funny. He bends down and kisses Mickey on the cheek.

“Breakfast?” he asks as he walks out of the bedroom.

“Wha- Hold on.” Mickey slips his pants on. Well maybe they were his he wasn’t sure.

Mickey follows Ian outside the bedroom, through a fairly long hallway, out into a large family room and into a gigantic kitchen. He was pretty sure the kitchen alone was the size of almost 2 of his bedrooms at his house.

Ian hands Mickey a plate with eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns on it. Mickey stares at it and then back at Ian.

“Uh thanks.” Mickey says back.

Ian smiles and nods. “Sure.” He senses something is a little off about his boyfriend but brushes it off.

Mickey continues to look around the house trying to guess which rich business owner customer Ian had whose house this could be.

Ian sits in front of Mickey with a similar plate of food. Mickey watches Ian as he sits across from him.

“Hey you take your meds this morning?”

Ian looks back at Mickey like he lost his sanity. “Mickey you feeling okay”

“Yeah. Answer the question.” Mickey says sternly.

“No I didn’t take my medication because I don’t need it anymore remember?”

“I think I’d remember shit like that. Ian we can’t play this game you need to take your pills.” Mickey gets up and goes looking through drawers and cabinets for them.

Ian gets up with him. “I don’t need to take anything.” He grabs Mickey’s hand to stop him from rummaging through stuff. “Mick…you drunk or something?”

“I don’t fucking know dude all I know is I thought I went to bed and I wake up in this fucking mansion.” He stops for a second to think. “No wait we had that fight and I walked out.” He sighs and covers his eyes with his hand. “Man I must’ve gotten shitfaced.”

“Fight? Ha I can’t think of a time we had a fight. At least not the storming off kind.”

Mickey ignores him and continues looking through drawers.

“You must’ve gotten really shitfaced though if you seriously don’t remember.”

“Remember what?”

“Mick I don’t need pills.”

“Oh yeah and why’s that?”

 “The cure.”

Mickey scoffs “Cure? There isn’t a fucking cure for bipolar Ian.”

“Well there is now. Or has been for the last year or so.” Mickey looks at Ian. Not believing him. “You really have no recollection.”

Mickey turns to Ian and stares at him to see if he was fucking with him. He notices a picture behind Ian instead causing him to drop the matter. He rushes over to it.

“What the fuck?” He says grabbing the frame.

Ian walks over, staring more at Mickey, concerned, than the picture.

“That’s….that’s….what the fuck is this Ian?”

Ian speaks slowly. “That’s our family picture last year. See. Me, you, Mandy, and your mom.”

Mickey drops the photo causing the frame to break. He backs away slowly. “No…no my mom…my mom is fucking dead.” Ian stares at him, brow furrowed. “This is some fucked up shit Ian. It’s not funny.”

“I’m not laughing Mickey.” Ian says. “You’re really starting to freak me out at bit here.”

“Yeah…yeah…” Mickey continues to back away “I…I gotta get out of here.”

“Mickey wait-” Ian says as Mickey heads over to the front of the house.

Ian follows Mickey but the shorter man has run out before Ian could get to it and is already running in the distance too far for Ian to catch up by the time he opens the door. Ian retreats inside instead dialing a number on the phone.


	2. A World Mickey Could Get Used To

Mickey somehow finds the ‘L’ train and heads to a more familiar part of his home city. He walks to his neighborhood looking exactly how it was the last time he saw it. _Well at least something looks right_ he thinks. He makes his way to what he believed was his house but now he wasn’t so sure. He’s about to step inside but something tells him to knock instead.

The door opens after Mickey’s 3rd attempt at knocking and almost walking away.

“Hey, shithead,” the person says.

“Mandy? Oh thank God.” Mickey tries to step around Mandy but she stops him.

“The fuck?”

“Where do you think you’re going?” She asks.

“Inside?”

Mandy laughs. “Umm no,” She says. “I just finished cleaning it for the new renters. They’ll be here any minute.”

“New renters- What the fuck Mandy this is our house.”

“Ha no it’s not. Well I mean it hasn’t been for a while. The only reason why this shithole is still standing is because fucking Iggy won’t let us tear it down. So we decided to rent it out instead.”

“You and Iggy?”

“Me, Iggy, and you. Mostly. Do you not remember that conversation?”

Mickey sighs and rubs his eyes.

“You been drinking?”

“No I- I don’t know honestly.”

“Hmm. Well I’m heading over to Mom’s now. Why don’t you drive with me? Ian will just meet us there.”

“Yeah,” Mickey says softly walking over to the passenger seat of his sister’s car.

 

10 minutes into the ride Mickey asks. “Mandy, where are we going?”

“Mom’s, dumbass. Like I said.”

Mickey bites his lip, confusion etched on his face. “Mandy…mom’s dead.”

Mandy sighs deeply. “Ian told me you said that before you ran out of the house. The fuck Mickey? You can’t say shit like that and worry people. I just got off the phone with her 5 minutes before you started banging on the goddamn door.”

Mickey swallows hard worried about his sister’s delusions.

They arrive at a big beautiful house. Similar to the one Mickey woke up in with Ian. 

“You head in first. I have stuff to grab from the trunk.”

“Uh Mandy…”

“Just go in, fuckface.”

Mickey exits the car and walks up the walkway to the house, surrounded by pink and purple flowers. He knocks on the door and hears a faint “come in”.

He opens the door slowly and steps inside. He hangs his light jacket on the coat rack seeing Ian’s already resting there.

“There’s my Mickey.” A voice says behind him. Mickey turns around carefully. He stares at the middle aged woman in front of him. His eyes go wide and he swears he forgot breathing was a thing.

“Mm…mom?”

“Yes, honey.” The woman says wrapping her little arms around Mickey’s neck bringing him in for a hug. His arms rest around the air around her, apprehensive about touching her thinking if he did she’d disappear.

“Mom.” He says again. More clearly. He grabs her and pulls her closer, bending his head into her neck, catching the scent of her light perfume and coconut smelling hair.

“Mom,” He keeps repeating until it starts to feel like something he says often.

“Yes, honey it’s me.” She pulls away and smiles at him, wiping away the tears on his face that Mickey wasn’t aware was there.

“You look good.” Mickey says pushing his mom’s jet black hair away from her face. “You look… you look healthy.”

Mickey’s mom grins wider. “Well thank you, honey. Always the charmer, huh?” She laughs pulling away from Mickey. Mickey laughs with her. He hadn’t seen her look that…healthy since he was a little kid. Maybe 5 or 6. Before Terry went further into the drug business.

 _Terry._ Mickey thinks. _Fuck._

“Where’s uhh…where’s dad?” Mickey asks uneasily.

Mickey’s mom stares at him for a while. “Are you feeling okay, Mickey?”

“Yeah just…woke up weird I guess,” Mickey says. “So uhh is he around or…?”

Mickey’s mom walks back over to him and stares at him concerned. “Honey, we haven’t seen your father since I took you away from him 10 years ago.”

“Took us away?”

“Yes.” Mickey’s mom searches her son’s eyes. “Honey you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah.” Mickey grins wide and runs his hands through his hair in disbelief. _Life without Terry? Shit. Sounds like heaven._ Mickey thought to himself. “So he’s really gone? I mean,” Mickey clears his throat. “You haven’t like seen him around or anything?”

“Oh god I hope not,” Mickey’s mom says. “He still has 20 more years to serve.”

“Serve?” Mickey asks.

“In jail,” his mom clarifies.

Mickey grins wider. “So we’re safe?” He accidentally says out loud.

“Of course,” Mickey’s mom says, wrapping her arms around her son for a hug. She kisses his cheek. “Now go outside and see Ian. He’s been worried.”

Mickey scratches the back of his head. “Yeah I kind of uhh freaked him out this morning.”

“Yeah he said,” She pushes her son towards the backyard door. “Now go. You know what I told you I’d do if you fuck it up with him.”

Mickey didn’t know but he could imagine. “Yes ma’am” Mickey laughed and walked to the backyard.

 

Ian is sitting in the grass, back to Mickey.

“Hey,” Mickey says, approaching the redhead.

Ian looks up. “Hey,” he says, unsure.

Mickey sits down. “I’m umm sorry about this morning. I was-“

“Yeah what was that?” Ian turns to Mickey worried.

“I don’t know. I was messed up.”

Ian scoffs. “You telling me. You take something?”

“What? No. No. I don’t know. Maybe.”

Ian sighs. “Say No to Drugs, Mick” Ian says, mockingly.

“Fuck off,” Mickey shoves Ian, playfully.

Ian snickers.

“It’s like I was in a different life,” Mikey takes a serious tone again. “A shittier life.”

“Hmm” Ian says. He wraps an arm around Mickey and brings him closer.

 

 

Mickey looks back at the house and his mother and sister arranging things in the kitchen. “This has got to be a dream or some shit.”

“A dream?” Ian asks. “Don’t you think you would’ve woken up by now?”

Mickey is silent. Thinking.

“I’m just saying. Maybe what you thought was your life is actually the dream.” Ian looks at Mickey and Mickey looks at him back. _It makes sense_. Mickey thinks. Or wants to think.

“Yeah or nightmare,” he says.

“What?”

“Nothing… It’s just. It felt real…most of the time. The pain…It felt real.”

Ian kisses him then. His tongue twisting with the shorter man’s, dancing in his mouth.

“What about that? That feel real.”

Mickey laughs. “Oh yeah.”

“And this.” Ian kisses him again, more passionately, his hand sliding down Mickey’s pants.

Mickey pulls away. “Dude my mom and sister are right there”

“Well it shouldn’t matter if they’re not real,” Ian says jokingly.

“Shut up.”

Ian laughs very lightly and carefree. Mickey smiles at him.

“You’re happy,” Mickey says. “I like you happy.”

Ian looks at him like he’s half insane but smiles and shakes his head anyway. “Yeah well I like you happy too.”

It’s then that Mickey hears a slight whisper.

“What?” Mickey asks.

“What?” Ian replies.

“Did you say something?”

“Uhh nope.”

“Hmm” Mickey shakes his head.

“You okay?”

“Yeah I just thought- Just thought I heard something. Never mind.” Mickey looks around and smiles, basking in the warmth of the day and the love surrounding him that he had never been used to. But goddamn could he.


	3. Am I Dreaming? Or Am I Alive?

He spends the day lying next to Ian in the comfortable warmth of the spring sun. His mom and sister talking about a past he never knew but somehow felt he lived. He watches in amazement at his mom smiling. He never saw her smile in his life. And Mandy’s smile too. It was different. Her eyes shine with a life that had minimal amount of pain in her past.

Soon the sun begins to set and Mandy gets up from her spot quickly.

“Jake will be here in an hour. We should get ready.”

“Ready?” Mickey asks turning to Ian.

“Don’t worry I brought your stuff too.” Ian says to Mickey as he starts to get up. “Come on we better start getting ready so Mandy doesn’t try to kill us for making everyone late.”

Mickey gets up to follow Ian. “And maybe we can get one in before we leave.” Ian whispers to Mickey as he bites his lip sensually causing Mickey to blush.

“Hey don’t mess up my sheets, lovebirds. I just cleaned those,” Mickey’s mom yells to them as they walk back into the house, laughing.

They both shower and dress just in time to hear a knocking at the door and Mandy’s high pitched squealing. Natural instinct causes Mickey to run out to see what’s happening. He approaches the foyer of the house to see his sister excitedly jump on a tall dark haired man, kissing him square on the mouth as he walks her further into the house, closing the door behind him. Ian peaks his head out resting it on Mickey’s shoulder.

“Jake, I’m guessing?” Mickey asks pointing to the tall man.

“Haha yup, Mickey. This is only your 100th time meeting him.”

Ian walks over and shakes Jake’s hand who has since put Mandy down, holding her hand instead.

“Hey, Mick.” Jake’s deep voice echos through the house.

Jake lets go of Mandy’s hand and walks over to her brother. He holds out his hand for Mickey to shake but it wasn’t a normal handshake, Mickey finds out as Jake grabs Mickey’s arm and pulls him in for a half hug.

“The fuck!” Mickey exclaims pulling away. Jake looks at Ian confused.

“Mickey’s a little uhh… off today,” Ian explains putting his arm on Mickey’s shoulder.

“Oh sorry, man,” Jake steps back.

“Don’t worry about it. He’s freaked out on everyone so far today,” Mandy says chuckling at Mickey’s offended face.

“Alright, alright. Enough picking on Mickey. Let’s get going,” Mickey’s mom says as she rushes everyone out the door.

Mickey leans over and whispers to Ian as his mom locks the house door. “I meant to ask, what’s with the fancy outfits,” he grabs his tux jacket to show Ian what he meant.

“Don’t tell me you forgot,” Ian says.

“Humor me.”

Ian rolls his eyes. “Your mom’s birthday, dumbass. You’re the one that picked out the place.”

“Right, right. I know. Just making sure.”

“Mhmm,” Ian says as Mickey’s mom moves away from the locked door and the rest of them move further into the yard.

“Mom why don’t you ride with us,” Mandy says as she winks towards Ian.

“Oh okay guess that’s easier.” She says, walking over to her daughters car.

“And don’t worry,” Ian whispers to Mickey as they walk to Ian’s car. “I picked up the gift from that place you said she likes.”

 _Right, right gift. Yeah people tend to get gifts on their birthday._ Mickey thinks.

“Oh thank god cause I uh forgot.” Mickey makes up.

“I knew you would.” Ian wraps and arm around Mickey’s neck pulling him to his chest, kissing the top of his head.

“Guess you know me pretty well, huh?”

Ian laughs. “That I do.”

 

They drive about 15 minutes away to a fairly elegant looking restaurant. _Fuck I picked this place out_ Mickey thinks. The place is nothing like Mickey had seen except maybe in some movies.

They sit down to a nice 3 course dinner. At the end they give Mickey’s mom her gifts and kisses on the cheek. They sit joyfully singing with the waiters as they wish her a happy birthday and dish out the cake. They converse and joke around. Mickey can see how happy everyone is. His mom, Ian, Mandy, and even himself. The Jake guy Mandy picked out was really great. Mickey could tell he treats Mandy well. He’s very protective of her too, about as protective of her that Mickey is, but he also respects her and knows she can hold her own in most, if not all, situations.

At the end of dinner when they’ve all finished their cake and the waiters have taken them, Mandy looks at Jake and back at their mom.

“Mom, Ian, Mickey…” Mandy starts. “Jake and I have something to tell guys.”

All three of them look at Mandy panicked.

 _This is it._ Mickey thinks. _This is where it all falls apart._

“What is it sweetheart?” Mickey and Mandy’s mom asks.

“Jake and I we’re uhh,” She looks between her brother, her best friend, and her mother. “We’re getting married!” She announces gleefully.

Mickey and Mandy’s mom yells in excitement. “Ahh my baby!” She gets up and kisses Mandy’s cheek and then does the same to Jake.

“That’s so great, Mandy,” Ian says, getting up and walking over to her for a hug. He shakes Jake’s hand “Congrats, man.”

“Thanks,” Jake says wrapping his arm around Mandy.

“You got a good girl here,” Ian says. “You better treat her well or we’ll be after you,” Ian points to himself and then to Mickey.

Mickey just stares at her. He can’t believe it. He gets up slowly as Ian makes his way back to his seat. Mickey bends down to Mandy and looks her straight in the eyes.

 “I’m so happy for you,” he says seriously, eyes watering.

“Thank, assface.”

Mickey smiles sadly and wraps his arms tightly around his sister. “I love you,” he says. He pulls away and Mandy looks at him worried.

“I love you too, Mickey.” She says back. “Hey,” She grabs his arm. “You okay?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.” Mickey gives her a reassuring smile.

 _Milkovichs usually don’t get a happy ending_ Mickey thinks _. But maybe it’s finally time they start to._

He shakes Jake’s hand and gives him a slap on the back. “You take care of my sister, man,” he warns.

“Ha I will, Mick.”

Mickey sit’s back down next to Ian as Mandy and their mom ogle over Mandy’s ring. Ian puts his arm around Mickey and kisses him on the cheek. Everyone is chatting excitedly about how the proposal went and future wedding plans.   Then Mickey hears something again. This time clearer.

“Mickey.” The voice whispers. Mickey looks at Ian thinking maybe it’s him but Ian is telling Mandy about Fiona’s wedding.  

“Mickey please,” The voice whispers again. Ian has finished talking.

“Please what?” Mickey says.

“What?” Ian asks.

“You said my name and then you said please.”

“No I didn’t,” Ian laughs.

Mickey pinches the bridge of his nose. _What the fuck?_

“Mickey, wake up,” the voice says clearer in his ear. Pulls his hand away from his face and sits straight up. He looks around. Everyone is still laughing and conversing but something is odd. Mickey can’t hear them.

Mickey hits his ear. Nothing. He blinks his eyes and sees a strange think illuminating in the far edge of the dining room. He gets up and walks over towards it. It’s a light bulb hanging from a rusty pipe, vastly out of place from this fancy restaurant. Mickey reaches for it but a hand on his shoulder stops him.

Mickey turns to the owner of the hand.

“Mickey? What are you doing over here?” Ian asks.

“Nothing I just,” Mickey turns back to where he was previously looking. “I saw something.” Mickey looks at the spot that had the light bulb and rusty surroundings only to see it now disappeared. “Least I thought I did.”

“Let’s get you home,” Ian puts a comforting hand on Mickey’s shoulder, turning him away from the area. “Get you some sleep. Don’t think you had much of it last night.”

“Yeah. Yeah maybe.” Mickey rubs his head. He doesn’t know what is real and what isn’t anymore. His past life, or maybe his nightmare life seems less and less real and his present one seems more and more real as the day goes by. Maybe Ian is right. He’ll go home, go to bed, wake up and he’ll know what world he belongs in. He just hopes it’s this one.


	4. It's not real

 

That night after him and Ian have gone to bed Mickey falls asleep to Ian’s even breathing as the taller man is already fast asleep. Vivid images flash in Mickey’s mind. The interior of a warehouse, lights flickering on and off, and a blurry image of red hair flashing back and forth in front of his face.  He hears mumbling like someone has stuffed cotton balls in his ears. He blinks his eyes several times to try to see clearer but he can't.

“….icky..mmm,” he hears the voice coming through.

“Mickey…” He hears more clearly. The face is right in front of him. He can barely make out who it is, his sight still blurry. _Ian?_ He shakes his head and the image disappears.

He feels a small slap on his face a few minutes later.

“…wake up, Mickey,” the voice says. “Mickey! Wake the fuck up” the voice yells, loudly in Mickey’s ear.

 

Mickey jolts up in bed, breathing heavily. Ian or whoever, whatever the fuck was next to him stirs in his sleep. Mickey, shaking, runs hands down his sweaty face. Fake Ian tosses over to his side. He sees Mickey sitting up on the bed.

“Hey. You okay?” He asks, voice raspy from sleep.

Mickey just nods his head and slowly gets up off the bed, slipping on his pants.

“Where are you going? It’s like 4 in the morning, Mick.” Ian says as he sits up himself.

“Y-yeah. I just-I just need to go on a walk. Umm clear my head.”

“Okay. Want me to come?”

“No!” Mickey blurts out. He clears this throat. “I mean uh no. Just go back to sleep or whatever.”

Ian stares up at Mickey confused but Mickey doesn’t pay attention. He’s out of the door 2 minutes later.

Mickey rubs his head trying to remember the dream he was having. Or the glimpse into his real life whatever it was. The place he was inside…It looked familiar. It had to be some place near home, his real home. Mickey heads over to the southside as he tries to remember more things. Then suddenly he remembers the night. The night of the fight. He had gotten drunk at The Alibi until Kevin cut him off and told him to go home. He had headed to another bar instead, a few blocks from the Alibi and close to this one abandoned warehouse he used to fool around in as a kid.

 _Oh fuck._ Mickey stops. _What was that shit Ian was spouting? Djinns? What did he say? Fuck._ Mickey thinks. _What the fuck did he say?_

Ian had come home with printouts of some fucked up articles on this thing. Mickey remembers Ian telling him about where they hid (and kept their victims), how to kill them, ect. He remembers because that’s when he took the paper away from Ian and threw them in the trash.

“They like to live in ruins, the bigger the better”. Mickey recalls the article saying. He picks up speed as he makes his way over to the abandoned building.

When he gets there he looks for the easiest entrance, pulling off boards on the building as he does so unaware of someone closely behind him. He finds his way in, the inside illuminated by awkwardly placed lamps. He sees a structure something that would be used to hold cattle upside down …or hold a human. He touches the structure and something flashes in his head, he sees the same place but it’s different. It’s like in his dream. But a second later he’s back. “This isn’t real.” He admits to himself sadly. He looks at the tubes surround the structure, and pouches of blood that sit near it. At least that’s what Mickey is seeing now he’s not sure what’s in the real warehouse in his real shitty life. He sees a table nearby and notices the instruments spread about it.  He’s about to move away when he hears the creak of a door and grabs the knife off the table to prepare himself for what was coming.

* * *

 

 

 

 

“It’s coming back we have to hide?” A gruff voice says.

“What? We can’t just leave him,” Ian says.

“It’s going to know someone’s here if you take his main course away.”

“Dean”.

“What? I’m just saying. You’re no good to him if you’re both hanging like dead animal carcass.” Sam looks at Dean wide eyed.

“Fine,” Ian agrees. looking back at Mickey before he follows the two men to hide from the monster.

“Okay. Me and my brother will get the Djinn as he’s feeding. You just worry about getting him down from there.” Dean points to Mickey hanging by a low hanging beam from their hiding spot.

“You’re going to use Mickey as bait?” Ian looks at the two tall men, disgusted.

“Not…not really. More to help us with the element of surprise,” Sam reassures the redhead.

“You guys are fucked up” Ian says quietly.

Sam opens his mouth to say something but the Djinn comes in.  Mickey moans, tossing his head back and forth. Ian wants to interfere already but is held back by a strong arm from one of the brothers. The Djinn walks over to Mickey, grabbing his face with one hand and moving the man’s head from side to side. He sniffs the side of his neck and takes out the needle that was transferring his blood to a blood bag above him. The Djinn puts the needle in his mouth and licks the blood taking a small sip from the tube.

Ian looks away briefly, disgusted. “Now?” He mouths.

Dean holds his fingers up and does a 3, 2, 1 and then puts his finger to his mouth as he and his brother quietly move closer to the Djinn, both with their blades dipped in lambs blood.

 

Dean grabs the back of the Djinn as Sam ducks behind a crate. The Djinn takes Dean’s blade away from him and throws it in the opposite direction, towards Ian. Ian slowly picks it up, trying to not make noise as the Djinn grabs Dean by the throat and takes its other hand, which is now glowing.

“Not again you son of a bitch,” Dean says. “Sam! Now!”

Sam jumps out of his hiding spot and grabs the Djinn by the neck but the Djinn flips him over and grabs the blade from his grasp.

Ian comes out from his spot despite Dean shaking his head telling him not too. Ian waves the blade in the air so Dean could see it.  He throws it down on the ground towards Dean as he makes his way over to Mickey.

“Kid, what are you-“ Sam starts to say as Dean picks up the blade and thrusts it deep into the Djinn.

Dean throws the lifeless body of the Djinn to the side as him and Sam get up from the ground. The two brothers make their way over to Ian, who is quietly whispering to the dark haired boy hanging from the metal structure.

“Mickey? Hey, man. Come on. You have to wake up.” Ian brushes Mickey’s hair with his hand. “Please Mick.”


	5. Wake Up

Mickey turns around to see what made the noise of the door creek, prepared for anything…well almost anything. When he comes face to face with it he realizes he’d been followed for a lot longer than he anticipated. He hides the knife behind his back, sliding it into his back pocket.

“Ian.”

Ian looks around the dirty, run down building. “Mickey? What the hell are you doing here?”

“Told you. I was going for a walk.”

“Yeah. This isn’t exactly where you go when you just want to go for a walk.” Ian takes a few steps closer to Mickey.

“Look you’re obviously not feeling well or you’re having some sort of freak out I don’t know,” he walks closer, about a few feet distance between them. “Let’s just get you home and I’ll call someone in the morning.” He’s close to Mickey now and reaches out to put a hand on his shoulder. Mickey lets him for a second but then pulls away quickly.

“No. No I’m not going anywhere with you. You’re not…you’re not real.”

“What?”  Ian questions. “I’m not rea- Jesus Mickey.” He grabs Mickey by the arm, pulling him to him. “Look at me. I’m real.” He touches is chest. “Feel that? I’m real. I’m fucking real, Mickey.”

Mickey shakes his head and looks at Ian sadly. “No you’re not. None of this is. I want it to be. I want it to be so damn badly but-“

“Mickey you aren’t making any sense.”

“I know I’m not but…I need to wake up. And there’s only one way I know how.” Mickey pulls out the knife from his back pocket.

“Yo woah woah wait Mickey. What the fuck? Put that away.”

“Old myth, right? You die in a dream you wake up in reality.”

“What?”

“Yeah, yeah it was in that one fucking movie you made me watch. With the Titanic kid.”

Ian shakes his head.

“Mickey just give me the knife.”

“I can’t.”

“Mickey you’re going to kill yourself.”

Mickey holds the knife up in front of him to keep Ian away.  Ian holds his hand up. “Or I’m going to wake up.”

“Mickey listen to me. I am real. I’m real. And you’re about to kill yourself.”

“No I’m sure.”

Ian stares at him.

“This isn’t my life.” Mickey turns the blade on to himself.

“Wait Mickey stop!” Ian yells.

Mickey does as he told. He pauses hearing more footsteps walking towards him. His mother, Mandy, and her fiancé.

“Why couldn’t you have just left it alone? You were happy.” Ian says.

“Put the knife down, honey.” His mom says slowly walking over to him.

“You’re not real, mom. None of this is.”

“It doesn’t matter. Isn’t this what you wanted? Mandy happy and safe. Ian healthy. Me?” Mickey’s mom says, gliding her gentle hand down her youngest son’s face. “Let’s go home, honey. We can all be a family again.”

“But I’ll die,” Mickey says.

Mickey’s mom smiles. “But in here. It’ll feel like years. Like a lifetime. I promise.” She grabs her son’s hand. “No more pain or fear. Just love.”

“You won’t have to worry about Mandy anymore. You can watch her have a good life with a loving husband and beautiful children.” Jake says to Mickey.

Ian walks up to Mickey and kisses him. “I love you, Mickey. Please.” He pulls away. “I’m begging you.” He holds out his hand. “Give me the knife.”

Mickey stares at them all. He smiles sadly as tears well up in his eyes. God he’d kill for this to be real. No Terry. No Kenyatta. No bipolar. His mom back. A loving family. But Ian…the real Ian. He needs him, they need each other.

He looks between his mom and Mandy. Their careless smiles he’ll never see again. He looks back at Ian who’s still holding out his hand.

“I’m sorry,” he pulls the knife away from him and stabs it deep into his abdomen.

“Mickey!” dream Ian yells.

 

 

* * *

 

 “Mickey! Mickey!” Mickey blinks and a familiar pale face is standing in front of him, yelling. But it’s not dream Ian. It’s real Ian with dark bags under his eyes and worry lines surrounding his face.

“Mmm okay okay. Fuck me, Prince Philip,” Mickey moaned.

Ian laughs. “Yeah he had a different way of waking people up.”

“I prefer his methods.”

“I would’ve tried that but…we have company.”

Mickey looks over to see the two tall, tan men standing a few feet away from them.

“We got to get him to a hospital. He lost a lot of blood,” one of them says.

“Yeah okay.” Ian answers. He turns back to Mickey. He gently moves his neck to the side and takes out the needle that was taking blood from him and carefully unties him.

Mickey’s eyes start to go droopy and he loses focus.

“No, no, no, Mickey. Hey. Stay with me.”

Mickey’s head lolls back and forth as he tries to stay awake, blinking rapidly.

“You got him?” One of the guys asks. “We’ll drive.”  Ian nods and carries Mickey out of the building, following the brothers.

 

 

Mickey lays in the backseat, his head in Ian’s lap.

 Mickey mumbles barely audible things, delirious on blood loss. Ian glides his hand comfortingly through Mickey’s hair assuring him he’ll be okay. He’s safe now.

 


	6. We're Gonna Be Okay

 

“So it was like a dream wish kind of thing?” Ian asks a now more aware Mickey an hour later.

“Ha yeah. It was-“ _Great_ he almost said. _I wanted to stay_ “my mom was alive. Healthy. No Terry. Mandy was happy. We were okay.”

“We’re okay now.”

“No. No. I mean really okay. We never fought.” Ian looks at Mickey sadly.

“ _You_ were okay.”

Ian looks down and rubs his head.

“It wasn’t real,” he assures Mickey.

“Yeah I know. Kinda wanted it to be though.” Mickey looks down, staring at his hands.

Ian nods.

“I promise I’ll do better.” Ian says to Mickey after a few silent moments.

“Yeah. Me too.” Mickey sniffs and then looks up at Ian. They both give the other a light smile then Mickey grins slyly. “You sure I’m actually awake though?”

Ian looks concerned. “Why?”

“Nothing” Mickey leans to the side looking past Ian in the direction of the two brothers.

Ian follows Mickey’s glance. “Oh yeah? The bowlegged one?”

“Mmm.”

“You want me to go see if he’s available?” Ian plays with him.

Mickey laughs.

“He’s kind of a douche though.”

 “Hmm seems like just our type then.”

“Fuck you.” Ian laughs, playfully (and gently) hitting Mickey’s arm.

“Hey, hey I was dissing both of us,” Mickey grins.

“Yeah, yeah.” Ian chuckles, smiling at Mickey. Then his face softens. “Look. I’m sorry about…the other night.”

Mickey looks down. “Yeah uh me too. I said some things I shouldn’t.”

“We both did,”

Mickey nods and picks at the dry skin around his finger nails. Nervous habit. He had a lot of those.

“You gonna be okay?” Ian asks moving his own hand closer to Mickey’s but not quite touching it.

“Yeah I mean they said I could leave in a few hours.”

“No I mean with the dream stuff.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t know.”

Ian sighs, rubbing the back of his head. Unsure. “You wanna umm talk about it?”

Mickey shakes his head. “Nah. Not right now. Maybe after a while.”

 Ian nods understanding.  He starts to get up. “I’m gonna talk to the doctor to see when we can leave and I’ll tell the guys they can go.”

“Yeah, okay. Wait they were here just to see if we were okay.”

“Yeah,” Ian shrugs. “Guess they like making sure the people they save have actually been saved.”

“Ah well. That’s nice of them. Maybe we should get their numbers,” Mickey laughs nudging his head to their direction.

“You wish.” Ian says lightly walking towards the door. He opens it then turns back to Mickey. “Look I know it won’t ever be like what was in your dream wish thing but we have each other. I mean I know we fuck up sometimes and there so much other fucked up shit in our lives but if we give it time…”

“Yeah, yeah I know. Ha you were the only thing that made me realize I needed to wake up.” Mickey admitted.

Ian beams.

“That and you were yelling in my damn ear.”

“Well you wouldn’t fucking wake up.”

Mickey chuckles.

“Just don’t give up on happiness, Mick.” Ian says seriously. “Not with us or… just don’t”

Mickey looks down and twitches his nose. He looks back up at Ian. “Alright I won’t.”  His eyes lighten and his mouth cocks to the side. “Now go see when I can get the fuck out of here, Nicholas Sparks”

 Ian rolls his eyes. “Ha ha. Will do.”

Ian leaves Mickey alone for the first time since he’s woken up causing the dark haired man to be alone in his thoughts. He thinks about his dream life and how dramatically different it was from this life. But there was something that was the same in both. Ian.

Ian was a part of both. He was important in both. Mickey loved him in both.

 Maybe he couldn’t get a wish granted by some genie thing making his life a more enjoyable one but at least with Ian he had a good majority of it. More than he’d ever need. And as for Mandy who’s to say she can’t have a happy ending too?

There is hope. Despite everything there is still hope.

Mickey smiles to himself and looks up out the glass window to his room. He sees Ian talking to the guys probably fishing out some bullshit lie to get their numbers.  He quickly turns to Mickey staring at him and winks. Mickey chuckles to himself. “Fucking asshole,” he says out loud, watching Ian turn back to the boys as one hands him a card.

Ian raises his eye brows and smirks like an idiot as he makes his way back to Mickey’s room.

Mickey grins _. Yeah._ He thinks. _We’re gonna be okay._


End file.
